Hydrogen-powered iPod on its way

IPod users now have a new way to recharge their players – using a hydrogen fuel cell.

British company Voller, which makes fuel cells for industrial use, has released a portable battery charger with a USB port so that it can supply power to USB-based devices, including iPods and other portable music players.

Fuel cell technology – where power is supplied by a chemical cartridges rather than batteries – has been touted for some years as the answer to notebook power problems, but this is the first time it has been applied to smaller devices.

The Voller Automatic Battery Charger (ABC) is powered by hydrogen gas, using refillable cartidges or by connecting a compressed gas cylinder. The company says the device doesn't produce any waste – only heat and water.

Recently, the computer manufacturer Toshiba announced that it hoped to start selling notebooks powered by fuel cells in 2007.

For the time being, though, the only drawback for home users is the price – the device, which weighs 9kg, is currently selling for US$7,495 (£4,070) in the USA.

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